Yvonne Strahovski Surprised By Chuck's Series Finale: 'It's Satisfying, But Almost Tragic'

We spy anxiety building in the loyal fans of NBC’s Chuck, especially for those about to read here what Yvonne Strahovski shared with TVLine about the two-hour series finale airing Friday, Jan. 27.

When asked about her expectations for the five-year-old series’ capper versus what it actually presented itself to be, the Aussie beauty – perhaps skilled by her time playing a savvy CIA agent – ably sidestepped that “trick” question, saying, “I can’t tell you my expectations, because then I reveal what the finale is not.”

But then, measuring her words with some care, Strahovski went on to share, “I had very specific things that I thought it was going to be, and it turned out to be not what I thought.”

In fact, she says, the final leg of Team Bartowski’s journey “surprised me to the point where I kind of felt like an audience member myself, sitting on the edge of my seat wondering, ‘Oh my gosh, how is this going to get resolved?'”

Wait, there are things to be resolved? Edge-of-seat kinds of things? Should fans prepare to be left hanging? “There will be a satisfying ending,” Strahovski reassures, “but it’s almost slightly, slightly tragic, the lead-up to what happens.”

Officially, NBC’s synopses for the series-ending hours read, in part, “After a harrowing mission, Sarah returns to Chuck with a huge secret,” then, “Chuck enlists his family, friend and some unexpected allies as he races to stop [villain] Nicholas Quinn (guest star Angus Macfadyen, Braveheart) from destroying everything Chuck has built over the past five years.”

But Strahovski boils it down thusly, and romantically: “We’re going to see a lot of the focus on the Chuck and Sarah love story, which is the heart of the show.”

TEAM BARTOWSKI!!!!!! I already know I’m going to be crying like a little girl when the finale airs. I received season 4 on DVD for Christmas and I’m rewatching in order to prepare myself for what’s coming. I love Chuck and I’m going to miss it when its gone.

Exact same feelings here my friend right down to getting chuck season 4 for christmas and rewatching, which let me just say i still think is fantastic and that finale? Friggin epic!! I can’t wait 4 this ep but at the same time i don’t want it to come because i will ball my eyes out and it will all be over :'( What an amazing show and an epic journey we’ve all had you will be missed Chuck!! Chuck FTW!!

All of season 5 has been freaking epic! I’m glad they are going out on a high note instead of just fizzling. I’m going to buy all of the seasons on DVD asap that way it can never truly be over for me. :) And to John I hope they don’t kill anyone. Chuck and Morgan are the best example of bromance on tv. I think if they killed Morgan it would kill part of Chuck, too.

I do not like hearing “tragic” about a show I’m passionate about. That said, I have to trust the producers and writers with the story they tell. The last two shows have been especially wonderful and satisfying. I’m sad to see my show go.

I swear if John Casey dies I’m going to pitch a fit the likes of which haven’t been seen since I was a very young child. I agree though, the last few episodes have been great, and leading up to big changes for Team Bartowski. I will miss Chuck a lot!

There was a blind item a while back about a show in its final season killing off an original character and Chuck was listed among the possible candidates. I hope Chuck isn’t the subject of the blind item though. I can’t imagine them killing off anybody.

Its gonna b morgan or casey or ellie… ‘chuck’ is the name of the show, so it would be stupid and mean to kill him off :(, and if yvonne says that the episode centers around charah then it i really hope its not sarah, and morgan was one of the first characters introduced… :( idk but i hope its not too depressing

When I read this I had an immediate flashback to the end of Quantum Leap. I remember reading spoilers (such as they were) about how the end would be. I was left feeling sad and extremely unsettled for years about the end of that series. I hope that Chuck goes out with a bang, but I also hope that the audience doesn’t have to suffer the what ifs after watching.

I am going to miss Chuck, but I would rather see the show go out on top, or at least on a high rather than “jumping the shark” and going on season-after-season too long. I have, unfortunately, seen too many good shows go down the tubes doing that.

I am mad that I can’t see any of the shows I missed. They use to have them on Hulu but I can’t see them there or on nbc. That is not cool! I love Chuck and will miss this series. I really feel they should have kept this on!

I hope the ‘tragic end’ does not mean death of any member of team bartowski. And i hope nothing comes between sarah and chuck, coz thats my greatest fear. That cute couple has been through ALOT already. But i know for sure that am gonna be a MESS when watching the final episode. Am gonna miss CHUCK

I have a feeling it’s going to end with someone or other having to go off the grid, into hiding, protection, etc, and have to make a finale farewell to everyone (“Chuck vs. the Goodbye”). Unclear whether it will be Chuck+Sarah, or Morgan, Ellie and Awesome, but it sounds like it’ll be along those lines.

I cant beleive it is ending:( this is my favorite show, i hope that chuck and sarah have a baby! well they probably will considering that the last episode is called chuck vs the baby:D i know that i will bawl my eyes out no matter what happens…

The season finale might just be the saddest day of my life! I can’t believe this amazing show is coming to an end! How can a show like this be cancelled, yet they still air stupid, pointless shows like Jersey Shore?! Chuck is the best show I’ve ever watched, and I’ll definitely miss it, but at least I can watch it over and over again since I own seasons 1-4! Chuck, Sarah, Morgan, Casey, Devan, Ellie, Big Mike, and even Jess and Lester, you will be missed!!
♥Chuck Fan Forever♥

Is it totally lame that I just teared up a bit worrying over who is going to die? I know there was an article before about an “original character” on Chuck biting the dust in heroic fashion in the finale, and I am truly upset thinking about who it may be. I am really sad to say goodbye to this show.

:( it is sad that show like this is going to end. For the very first time someone came up with such a marvellous story with such a brilliant team of remarkable cast and fascinating gadgets and Beautiful girls , family love, relationships from parents, sibling, wife, lover, children, friends, co-workers, and even with bosses. This show had it all, i just cannot put it into words how much this show had entertained us taught us and made us laugh and off course who can one 4get made us emotional. in the end i would like to say NBC that it could had extended it but it is true one day everything has to end sooner or later. Still I will say it was still sooner for Chuck. But as I am glad as a chuck fan it is going completes it story and it will always be no1 on my list. THANKYOU TEAM CHUCK OR SHOULD I SAY TEAM BARTOWSKI.

That has been my thought all season. They seem to be setting Casey up for it. He has found love, has connected with his daughter, is generally happy plus he’s got a noble streak about a mile long and I could see him sacrificing his life so that his daughter can have a lifetime of happiness with Morgan.

I am going to miss this show more than almost any show on tV. It’s sad because besides Americas Got Talent and the Nightly News, it’s the only reason I watch NBC. It amazes me to see them killing off one of their only good shows. I would have rather seen another 3-4 seasons. The writing was actually getting better! Oh well.

Oh I’m really going to miss chuck..
Hope the end is not that ‘tragic’ cuz, I know I’m going to cry but, I don’t want to cry all day long after that !
God, can’t realize ! Love all of them, kisses from France. (I don’t like cheese btw :p)

As usual the network only foucus on money now ends another great show. They mentiond about this day coming, and when the put the show in the “Death Slot” Friday nights I knew it was over. My friday night are free again.

I love this show so much that im sorry to see it go away like this , but i hope the producers,cast and everyone who has been working on it since it started come up with a great ending and leaving the show with laughs instead of tears , that would be the best ending for me and my love for this ( FAVORITE ) show :)

As a possibility because I really don’t want anyone to die maybe the tragic thing, since most of the final season is about chuck and sarah settling down into married life is that sarah can’t have kids.

So sad this show is ending :(.. I’m pretty sure that I’m going to cry in the series finale, I love Chuck, I think the cast is just amazing, the chemistry between them is incredible. At the beginning of the 5th season I waited for each friday to come fast, but now I don’t know either if I want fridays to come fast or slow because every new episode means the finale is very close. I have really high expectations on the finale, especially after the ‘Chuck vs The Baby’ episode. This is the best show ever!!!

Why does it have to end?!? It could go on with at least ten season without eventually being lame. I have absolutely no idea of what i should be doing after Chuck is gone. It’s like i’m going away too. I don’t see why they stop now either. Other people that doesn’t watch the show would catch on eventually. This is so sad :(

Oh great. If reading this brief interview already had me on the edge of my seat, then I can’t even imagine how I’ll handle these last few CHUCK episodes.. Knowing the characters for 5 years makes even slightly tragic storylines a lot more emotional this season. Especially for a special kind of show that fans have successfully fought for. #FiveSeasonsAndAFinale
Based on Yvonne Strahovski’s description of how the finale felt, though, I think fans should be happy. None of the 4 season enders have really disappointed yet, anyway. (Yeah, I’m counting to Morgan-sect twist that people prematurely judged as a non-disappointing finale)
Thanks for the CHUCK coverage, TVline! Getting every last bit of info we can until the end of the month.